Sorrell Again Discusses Succession at WPP

(MoneyWatch)  The FT did a Q&A with WPP (WPPGY) chief Martin Sorrell that revealed a couple of things he's apparently sensitive about: His age and his successor.

Don't read too much into it -- the conversation is obviously light-hearted -- which is, arguably, what makes it all the more interesting. It starts with Sorrell being asked whether he got anything wrong in terms of the recession. Sorrell, of course, never gets anything wrong:

We heard some mea culpas from you a little bit earlier.

Me? Mea culpa? No, no, no.

A feeling that you underrated the depth of this recession?

Well I think that's a bit heartless ...

Then there's this exchange about a post-Sorrell WPP:

What about yourself? You're going to turn 65 on Valentine's day -

Oh, this is very wounding - I think I'm going to go now. Very rude. Yes, what about it?

Any plans?

Any plans to what?

Any succession plans? Have you picked a successor?

... No, I'll carry on doing this as long as they will have me. I mean at some point in time somebody will tap me on the shoulder and say, "Martin, you've screwed up enough now so you should just - "

... And the other thing is the Bill Shankly quote: "Football's not a matter of life and death - it's more important than that."*

So WPP is not a matter of life and death - it's far more important than that. I think [founders'] emotional connection to their business - it is like giving birth, certainly to an idea. Their emotional connection is so strong that certainly in my case I want to be connected to it as long as I possibly can.

The notion that Sorrell's "emotional connection" to WPP "is like giving birth" might come as a bit of a surprise to his actual children (he has three sons). Or perhaps not.

*Note: Shankly didn't quite say that. He actually said, "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."

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• Sorrell Prepares to Leave WPP Amid 7,000 Layoffs